diff --git a/config_parser.rkt b/config_parser.rkt
index 2c383a9..bf566cc 100755
--- a/config_parser.rkt
+++ b/config_parser.rkt
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 #! /usr/bin/env racket
 #lang racket
+(require "helpers.rkt")
 
 (define ip (open-input-file "lazyplay.sexp"))
-(read-syntax "~/lisp/lazyplay/lazyplay.sexp" ip)
-(close-input-port ip)
\ No newline at end of file
+(define parsed
+    (read ip))
+(close-input-port ip)
+
+(define settings (make-hash))
+(update settings parsed)
diff --git a/helpers.rkt b/helpers.rkt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c8d0337
--- /dev/null
+++ b/helpers.rkt
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#! /usr/bin/env racket
+#lang racket
+
+(define (update htable settings)
+    (cond ((null? settings) htable)
+    (else (map (lambda (setting)
+        (hash-set! htable (first setting) (second setting))) settings)
+        htable)))
+        
+(define (partial f x) 
+    (lambda (y) (f x y)))
+
+(define (flip f)
+    (lambda (y x) (f x y)))
+
+(provide (all-defined-out))
diff --git a/lazyplay.rkt b/lazyplay.rkt
index 0f50357..7a87280 100644
--- a/lazyplay.rkt
+++ b/lazyplay.rkt
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 #! /usr/bin/env racket
 #lang racket
 
- (require racket/system)
+(require racket/system)
+(require "helpers.rkt")
 
 (define args (vector->list (current-command-line-arguments)))
 ; args: filename, mplayer-args
@@ -10,12 +11,6 @@
 (define mplcmd (string->path "/usr/bin/mplayer")) ; command used to play files
  ; output file to /dev/null/
 
-(define (partial f x) 
-    (lambda (y) (f x y)))
-
-(define (flip f)
-    (lambda (y x) (f x y)))
-
 (define (file-list) ; list of files in the current working directory
     (map path->string ; get the strings from the list of paths
         (directory-list (current-directory))))
@@ -53,14 +48,6 @@
                     (hash-set! table fname #t)) (play-list))
                 table))
 
-; updates a hashtable with a bunch of filenames
-; (update played (list "one" "two"))
-(define (update htable fnames)
-    (cond ((null? fnames) htable)
-    (else (map (lambda (fname)
-        (hash-set! htable fname #f)) fnames)
-        htable)))
-
 ; list of new files that have been seen
 (define (new-files sett files)
     (filter 
@@ -88,7 +75,7 @@
         (let* ((newfs (new-files played (play-list))))
             (play (append (cdr fnames) newfs) (update played newfs))))))
 
-; (play (play-list) played)
+(play (play-list) played)
 (define (controller)
     (let* ((input (read (current-input-port))))
     (cond ((eof-object? input))
diff --git a/lazyplay.sexp b/lazyplay.sexp
index e1560cc..8cc294a 100644
--- a/lazyplay.sexp
+++ b/lazyplay.sexp
@@ -1,4 +1,2 @@
-(
-("player" "mplayer")
-("filetype" "avi")
-)
\ No newline at end of file
+(("player" "mplayer")
+("filetypes" ("avi" "mp4")))
\ No newline at end of file